Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – At least one aryl ring which is part of a fused or bridged...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-05
2001-07-10
Dawson, Robert (Department: 1712)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
At least one aryl ring which is part of a fused or bridged...
C524S266000, C524S268000, C525S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258881
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a polyphenylene ether resin composition. More specifically, the present invention relates to a polyphenylene ether resin composition comprising a polyphenylene ether resin and a specific organopolysiloxane, but neither any halogen-containing flame retardant nor any phosphorus-containing flame retardant as an essential or mandatory component, and exhibiting a superior flame resisting property.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Polyphenylene ether resins are superior in their mechanical properties, electric properties, heat resistance, hydrolysis resistance and dimensional stability, and are extensively used as thermoplastic engineering plastic resins.
As a flame resisting polyphenylene ether resin composition, there is known a resin composition comprising a polyphenylene ether resin and a halogen-containing flame retardant or a phosphorus-containing flame retardant. Nowadays, however, a polyphenylene ether resin composition comprising neither any halogen-containing flame retardant nor any phosphorus-containing flame retardant is increasingly required, because of an anxiety such that such a flame retardant may affect the environment.
As a polyphenylene ether resin composition comprising neither the halogen-containing flame retardant nor the phosphorus-containing flame retardant and having an improved flame resistance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,887 discloses a composition comprising a polyphenylene ether resin and a liquid straight chain phenylsiloxane.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,655 discloses a composition having an improved flame resistance, which comprises a polyphenylene ether resin, a liquid straight chain phenylsiloxane and a block copolymer elastomer.
Each of the references referred to above is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Although the compositions disclosed in the above U.S. Patents are superior in their flame resistance to the polyphenylene ether resin per se, its level is not satisfactory. Particularly, there is left a problem in that when the polyphenylene ether resin is used in combination with a polystyrene resin, the resulting polyphenylene ether resin composition is insufficient in its flame resistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a polyphenylene ether resin composition which comprises neither a halogen-containing flame retardant nor a phosphorus-containing flame retardant as an essential or mandatory component, and exhibits a superior flame resistance.
The present inventor has undertaken extensive studies with respect to studying the flame resistance of polyphenylene ether resin compositions. As a result, it has been found that a resin composition comprising a polyphenylene ether resin and a specific organopolysiloxane can meet said object, and thereby the present invention has been obtained.
The present invention provides a polyphenylene ether resin composition comprising:
a component (A) containing a polyphenylene ether resin; and
a component (B) containing an organopolysiloxane comprising respective structure units represented by the following formulas (I), (II) and (III)
R
1
R
2
SiO
1.0
(I)
R
3
SiO
1.5
(II)
R
4
R
5
R
6
SiO
0.5
(III)
wherein R
1
, R
2
and R
3
are independently of one another an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and R
4
, R
5
and R
6
are independently of one another an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a hydroxyl group; and wherein:
(i) the component (B) is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to 100 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the component (A); and
(ii) the component (A) forms a continuous phase, and the component (B) forms a dispersed phase containing dispersed particles.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The polyphenylene ether resin used in the present invention, is a homopolymer resin or a copolymer resin obtained by oxidatively polymerizing at least one phenol compound represented by the following formula (IV) with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas with the aid of an oxydative coupling catalyst,
wherein R
7
, R
8
, R
9
, R
10
and R
11
are independently of one another a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group or a substituted hydrocarbon group, provided that at least one of them is always a hydrogen atom.
Examples of R
7
, R
8
, R
9
,R
10
and R
11
in the formula (IV) are hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, iodine, methyl, ethyl, n- or iso-propyl, pri-, sec- or t-butyl, hydroxyethyl, phenylethyl, benzyl, hydroxymethyl, carboxyethyl, methoxycarbonylethyl, cyanoethyl, phenyl, methylphenyl, dimethylphenyl, ethylphenyl and allyl.
Examples of the phenol compound represented by the formula (IV) are phenol, o-, m- or p-cresol, 2,6-, 2,5-, 2,4- or 3,5-dimethylphenol, 2-methyl-6-phenylphenol, 2,6-diphenylphenol, 2,6-diethylphenol, 2-methyl-6-ethylphenol, 2,3,5-, 2,3,6- or 2,4,6-trimethylphenol, 3-methyl-6-t-butylphenol, thymol and 2-methyl-6-allylphenol. Among these phenol compounds, 2,6-dimethylphenol, 2,6-diphenylphenol, 3-methyl-6-t-butylphenol and 2,3,6-trimethylphenol are preferred.
The phenol compound represented by the formula (IV) may be copolymerized with a polyhydric aromatic compound such as bisphenol-A, resorcinol, hydroquinone and novolak resins to prepare a copolymer. In the present invention, the copolymer is also contained in the polyphenylene ether resin according to the present invention.
The oxidative coupling catalyst used for the oxidative (co)polymerization of said phenol compound is not particularly limited, and any catalyst having a polymerizing ability can be used.
As a process for oxidatively (co)polymerizing the phenol compound to produce the polyphenylene ether resin, there are exemplified those disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3306874, 3306875 and 3257357, Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 52-17880, Japanese Patent Kokai (JP-A) Nos. 50-51197 and 1-304119. Each of these references is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Specific examples of the polyphenylene ether resin used in the present invention are poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-diethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-methyl-6-ethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-methyl-6-propyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-dipropyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(
2
-ethyl-6-propyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-dibutyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-dipropenyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2, 6-dilauryl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-diphenyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-diethoxy-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-methoxy-6-ethoxy-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-ethyl-6-stearyloxy-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-methyl-6-phenyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-methyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2-ethoxy-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(3-methyl-6-t-butyl-1,4-phenylene ether), poly(2,6-dibenzyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and copolymers of every descriptions containing a number of the repeating units constituting the above-exemplified resins.
Further, a copolymer of a multi-substituted phenol such a~s 2,3,6-trimethylphenol and 2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenol with a 2-substituted phenol such as 2,6-dimethylphenol is also contained in the polyphenylene ether resin according to the present invention.
Among the polyphenylene ether resins exemplified above, preferred are poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and a copolymer of 2,6-dimethylphenol with 2,3,6-trimethylphenol.
The polyphenylene ether resin used in the present inv
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Dawson Robert
Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
Zimmer Marc S.
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